# Shipping Pipes via UPS



## Ben.Reilly (Jun 21, 2010)

Hello everyone,

I recently sold a pipe on ebay and am planning on shipping it via UPS. Does anyone here have any experience shipping pipes (who aren't retailers)? I know UPS and other carriers have some strange rules so I just want to be sure before I make the trip to the UPS store.

Thanks for the help!


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## CWL (Mar 25, 2010)

The best method is to look on their own website for shipping rules, but I doubt that there are any regulations against sending pipes. Tobacco on the other hand...

Have you tried USPS Priority Mail? For a set price of $5.45, you can ship their small flat box (can hold 4+ pipes). Insurance, proof of delivery & tracking are extra though.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Just thought I'd add something the lady at my Post Office told me a while back. Depending on the weight of what you are mailing, you can usually save a few bucks by just asking for one of the free Priority Mail boxes that are not flat rate and then having them weigh the package and charge you for Priority Mail by weight. Particularly for the light weight stuff we mail (pipes & tobacco) it's usually a better deal.


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## Natedogg (Jun 21, 2010)

You also get a better deal from USPS by purchasing your postage online and printing the label yourself. You can schedule a pickup or drop it off. For a small box that weighs a pound or less it's less than 6 bucks.

For example, I had to ship a piston from one of the engines in my shed to Seattle. UPS wanted $12 for ground and would have taken 5 days. I shipped it USPS priority for $5.65 and it got there in 3 days.

For smaller packages, USPS is the way to go, and I know they don't have rules for pipes or tobacco.

FYI, the home brewing link in your sig doesn't work. The hyperlink shows "my%20homebrewing%20website"


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## x6ftundx (Jul 31, 2008)

yeah go with USPS and put it in a flat rate box. If you want you can get a bubble mailer and wrap it up and send it for less. Either way there is no reason not to use USPS. I ship stuff from E bay all the time with no issues...


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

indigosmoke said:


> Just thought I'd add something the lady at my Post Office told me a while back. Depending on the weight of what you are mailing, you can usually save a few bucks by just asking for one of the free Priority Mail boxes that are not flat rate and then having them weigh the package and charge you for Priority Mail by weight. Particularly for the light weight stuff we mail (pipes & tobacco) it's usually a better deal.





Natedogg said:


> You also get a better deal from USPS by purchasing your postage online and printing the label yourself. You can schedule a pickup or drop it off. For a small box that weighs a pound or less it's less than 6 bucks.
> 
> For example, I had to ship a piston from one of the engines in my shed to Seattle. UPS wanted $12 for ground and would have taken 5 days. I shipped it USPS priority for $5.65 and it got there in 3 days.
> 
> For smaller packages, USPS is the way to go, and I know they don't have rules for pipes or tobacco.


They're right and I work for UPS.

Sod the flat rate and go priority. I pay $4.85 at my local post office. It can vary by a dollar.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Natedogg said:


> ...and I know they don't have rules for pipes or tobacco.


Yeah, I can vouch for that. The lady alternated glaring and searching the regs for quite a while before grudgingly taking a package when I made the mistake of mentioning the evil weed I was mailing to Canada.


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

MarkC said:


> Yeah, I can vouch for that. The lady alternated glaring and searching the regs for quite a while before grudgingly taking a package when I made the mistake of mentioning the evil weed I was mailing to Canada.


"Hobby supplies" when making such declarations ... technically true and vague enough to pass muster :dude:


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## strongirish (Dec 11, 2008)

I use Hobby Supplies as well and it is never questioned. What they don't know won't hurt them. I also found that if I just put it in my mailbox for the postman to pick up, it goes without questions with no problem. I ship on eBay via USPS all the time.


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## RecoilRob (Jan 3, 2011)

Also, if you ever have to shipp a very expensive pipe it's best to use the USPS Registered Mail, the insurance is much cheaper. I found this out some years ago when I sold a pair of Dunhill Magnums and needed to insure them for $4500 each. The USPS was about half the cost of UPS. And unlike UPS, if you need to file a claim, they actually pay. UPS will deny everything and make you fight for your claim.


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